Author(s): Nancy Conner
Publisher: O'Reilly
Language: English
Pages: 352
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Home Ownership......Page 21
The Pluses of Owning a Home......Page 22
The Minuses of Owning a Home......Page 28
How Much Home Can You Afford?......Page 35
How Much Can You Invest in a Home?......Page 36
Get Prequalified or Preapproved......Page 44
What Lenders Look For......Page 46
Improve Your Chances of Getting a Loan......Page 58
Choose Your Style
of Home and
Neighborhood......Page 61
Your Style of Home......Page 62
The Condition of Your Home......Page 75
Find Your Neighborhood......Page 82
Create a Wish List......Page 87
Assemble Your Real Estate Team......Page 89
Real Estate Agents......Page 90
Your Mortgage Provider......Page 106
Your Real Estate Attorney......Page 109
Your Home Inspector......Page 112
Other Real Estate Professionals......Page 114
Shop for Your Home......Page 117
Select Homes to Tour......Page 118
Bargain Hunting......Page 131
What to Look for on the Tour......Page 142
Evaluate the Neighborhood......Page 151
Compare Homes......Page 152
Finance Your Down Payment......Page 153
Calculate Your Down Payment......Page 154
Alternatives to Paying 20 Percent Down......Page 158
Compare Mortgages and Other Financing Options......Page 161
Mortgage Basics......Page 162
The Mortgage Process......Page 171
Types of Mortgages......Page 173
Choose the Term of Your Mortgage......Page 186
Government Financing Programs......Page 190
Creative Financing Options......Page 196
Choose and Apply for a Mortgage......Page 203
Find the Right Lender......Page 204
Get the Best Mortgage......Page 207
Gather Documents and Information......Page 216
Do the Paperwork......Page 217
Know Your Closing Costs......Page 235
Kinds of Closing Costs......Page 236
Add It All Up......Page 243
How Much Will You Pay?......Page 244
Reduce Your Closing Costs......Page 246
Make an Offer......Page 249
Figure Out What the Home Is Worth......Page 250
What Goes Into an Offer......Page 259
Negotiating: The Art of the Deal......Page 266
Prepare for the
Closing......Page 271
Check Off Contingencies......Page 272
All About Titles and Deeds......Page 277
Homeowner’s Insurance......Page 283
Get a Home Warranty......Page 289
Prepare to Move......Page 292
Take the Final Walkthrough......Page 296
Inspect the
Property......Page 301
Find a Good Home Inspector......Page 302
What Happens at an Inspection......Page 303
Understand Your Home
Inspection Report......Page 312
Specialized Inspections......Page 314
If Problems Turn Up......Page 320
Close the Deal......Page 323
Countdown to Closing: 24 Hours to Go......Page 324
What If the Closing Gets Delayed?......Page 327
What Happens at a Closing......Page 329
A Mountain of Paperwork: What It All Means......Page 332
Your HUD-1 Form......Page 335
What If Something Goes Wrong?......Page 340
After the Closing......Page 341
Index......Page 345
